LANCASHIRE are one win away from the big day out at Lord's which became part of the club's annual fixture list during the 1990s hey-days.

But that remaining obstacle to the Cheltenham and Gloucester Trophy final on August 30 is a massive one - with Worcester waiting for them in the New Road semi on August 7 or 10.

"A very tough game," was manager Mike Watkinson's verdict in the wake of their 57 runs quarter-final triumph over an outclassed Middlesex. "Tom Moody has put together a good team which plays hard, competitive cricket and it's not going to be easy."

"We are going to have to be at the top of our game," conceded Andy Flintoff. "But after what happened to us in the Benson and Hedges semi last year we've earned the chance to put it right."

Freddie was referring to the last ball B and H semi defeat by Warwicks which denied Lancashire a trip to Lord's. Now the B and H tournament has gone and, despite the introduction of the Twenty20 knock-out, the C and G has grown in status.

Lancashire desperately want to get into the final to revive their glory days in limited overs cricket and the New Road clash promises to be one of the summer's highlights.

It is the third time on the trot that Lancashire have been drawn away in the Trophy semis.They will be all out to erase the unhappy memories of Bristol in 2000 and Grace Road the following year - and, as Middlesex discovered, the all-round power of the Red Rose outfit is difficult to resist.

Not that Watkinson will be lured into any indiscretion.

Cagey

"Do you think you are now red-hot favourites?" Watkinson was asked. "You'll have to ask Ladbrokes about that," he said.

The probability is that Gloucester, at home to Derbyshire in the other semi, will be installed at shorter odds than Lancashire. Few visitors win cup-ties at Bristol - as Lancashire, beaten three times on the trot there in recent years, know only too well.

Lancashire, however, have an encouraging semi-final history at New Road where they hit back from the dead in 1996. And the style in which they flattened Middlesex strengthened views that they are on the road to honours.

For once most of the big batting guns failed to reach 50 so Mal Loye, dropped on nought at second slip, deservedly captured the man of the match award with an anchor innings of 74. Mark Chilton, with three championship centuries behind him, proved again that he can adapt to the needs of the one-day game, and Glen Chapple exploded in the closing stages.

Chapple whose sensible batting helped Andy Flintoff rescue Lancashire in the championship clash at Canterbury this time went for broke and hammered four sixes in his unbeaten 45, hauling them to 252-7.

Middlesex needed a bright start, yet had lost the game within 11 overs thanks to the superb opening spells of Jimmy Anderson and Peter Martin and what Watkinson described as `our energy in the field.'

Flintoff's surprise return as a bowler wrecked any hopes of a mid-innings recovery. He had failed with the bat for the first time this season, but did the business with the ball - 2-22 from 6.1 overs. You just can't keep the man down.